John Terry will go under the knife later today and is expected to be sidelined for two months

John Terry, who missed Chelsea’s Champions League clash with Napoli last night, will go under the knife later today and is expected to be sidelined for two months.

It is a devastating blow for Chelsea, who are struggling to finish in the top four in the Premier League.

But it is also a massive problem for whoever succeeds Fabio Capello as the next England boss. Terry will miss Wednesday’s friendly with Holland at Wembley – and is now a major doubt for the finals in Poland and Ukraine.

Chelsea remain hopeful he will return by the end of April, in time for the last three matches of the Premier League season.

But there would be a huge question mark over his match-fitness heading into the European Championships.

Terry would have just one England game left in which to prove his readiness before the squad is announced on May 29.

The Three Lions face Norway in Oslo just three days beforehand and if Terry does not play he has virtually no chance of being selected.

England kick off their campaign against France in their opening Group D game in Donetsk on June 15.

Terry first injured his right knee after colliding with a post in Chelsea’s FA Cup win over Portsmouth on January 8.

He then played through the pain barrier for three weeks and was hoping to return against Napoli after four games out.

Terry travelled to Italy and even trained with his team-mates on Monday night, but woke up in agony on Tuesday morning.

Caretaker England boss Stuart Pearce had faced a dilemma over whether to pick both Terry and Rio Ferdinand to face Holland.

Terry was stripped of the captaincy while he awaits trial for racially abusing Ferdinand’s brother, QPR defender Anton.

Pearce has now been spared that problem, but must decide instead who will partner the Manchester United centre-half at the back.